Ten Haunted Travel Destinations

In honor of Halloween, we're taking you on a tour of the spookiest cruise destinations around the globe. When it comes to world travel, some things are universal - like scary stories! These ten cities are home to rumors of ghosts, hauntings and more!

Thanks to its narrow alleys that often end with canals, Venice is the ideal setting for a spooky story. It's famous (or, infamous) for being one of the most haunted cities in the world, thanks to a chilling history of illnesses and murder! Some of the smaller islands surrounding Venice once housed mass graves, prisons, and an insane asylum. Scary!

Dublin is teaming with ghost stories. Local pubs aren't only frequented by living residents, some - like the Davy Byrne Pub, Brazen Head, and Lord Edward's Pub - are allegedly haunted as well. Rumor has it, Trinity College is haunted by a former medical professor, while Dublin Castle is home to the ghosts of headless bodies buried beneath the landmark. The world-famous St. Patrick's Cathedral is said to be haunted by a ghost dog, who belonged to a sailor buried beneath the church. Scariest of all? Beneath St. Michan's Church, a burial vault contains over 30 mummified bodies.

New Orleans is often referred to as America's most haunted city, and it has a colorful history of voodoo and black magic. The city is below sea level, so above-ground tombs in the city's 42 cemeteries help add to the atmosphere. Ghost tours will take tourists to some of the city's most well-known haunted spots, including plenty of old buildings in the French Quarter. Rumor has it that the Le Pavilion Hotel is haunted by four ghosts, including a 19th century teenage girl and an aristocratic couple from the roaring 20s. The 200 year-old bar at Old Absinthe House is said to be haunted by its famous patrons, including Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau and Andrew Jackson.

Obviously, the home of Jack the Ripper had to make this list! The Ten Bells pub, once called "The Jack The Ripper", is allegedly haunted by one of his many victims. Another local pub, The Flask, is said to be haunted by the ghost of a barmaid who hanged herself in the cellar, and a man in a Cavalier's uniform. But the spookiest of all is the famous Tower of London, said to be haunted by the souls of those who lost their heads there. The most famous headless ghost? Queen Anne Boleyn, of course.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Buenos Aires has a historic, beautiful cemetery that is a must-see for tourists - especially ones interested in the supernatural! A young woman who was mistakenly buried alive is said to haunt the Recoleta Cemetery, checking graves to make sure the occupants are truly dead. The Torre del Fantasma is allegedly haunted by Clementina, a young artist who threw herself from the tower's highest window. Ghosts have also been reported in the city's subway tunnels!

Paris is most widely known as the most romantic city in the world, but it's also one of the most haunted! The city's catacombs store human bones, and this underground network of tunnels can be toured today. A haunted history and a beloved work of fiction collide at the Garnier Opera House, a baroque palace that served as inspiration for The Phantom of the Opera.

Tokyo is home to the Himuro Mansion, one of the most famous haunted mansions in the world. It's said to be the location of one of the most brutal murders in Japanese history - seven people were allegedly found murdered as part of an occult sacrifice. The story, though most likely not true, inspired the setting for a horror video game. To this day, visitors report seeing ghosts, bloody handprints on the walls, and other spooky sights.

Scotland is home to several famously haunted cities, including Edinburgh. This city's underground (literally) history will send shivers up your spine! Mary King's Close is a historic street, now completely encolsed underground, where those suffering from the plague were said to have been sealed up, to protect the rest of the city from disease. The Edinburgh Vaults, also underground, once housed pubs and shops. Today it's a popular tourist destination thanks to frequent ghost sightings!

Tasmania, a small island below Australia, has a dark history that lends itself well to ghost stories. Both Port Arthur and Hobart are said to be haunted by the ghosts of the convicted prisoners who were sent there. In Port Arthur, The Parsonage is known as the city's most haunted building. The Reverend George Eastman died in an upstairs bedroom of the house. Allegedly, ropes broke as his coffin was being lowered out a window. His body fell into a gutter, and The Parsonage has been believed to be haunted ever since.

The Eternal City has a rich history, so it should come as no surprise that Rome rounds out our ten haunted cities list. The Colosseum, built to entertain ancient Romans with blood, gore and violence, is said to be haunted by ghosts of gladiators and guards, as well as lions and tigers. Turn the creep factor up another notch and visit the city's catacombs and the Capuchin Crypt. Rome's most famous ghost is Beatrice Cenci, an aristocratic young woman who was executed after murdering her abusive father. It's said that Beatrice appears the night of September 10th on the bridge leading to Castel Sant'Angelo.

Have you been to any of these haunted world cities? Did you spot any ghosts? Let us know in the comments!